Embodiments described herein relate generally to an apparatus for use within an electrochemical cell that can be used as both an outer casing and a current collector for the electrochemical cell and methods for making such apparatus.
Some known electrochemical cells (e.g., batteries) can include a variety of shapes and/or sizes, can be based on a wide variety of enabling materials and internal architectures, can be either passive or actively controlled, can be rechargeable or not, and/or can share certain common features that can allow them to convert chemical energy to electrical energy. Some known batteries can include a first electrode having a high electrochemical potential and a second electrode having a lower electrochemical potential relative to the first electrode. Each electrode can include an active material that participates in a chemical reaction and/or physico-chemical transformation during discharge by virtue of a favored thermodynamic change of material states, which can result in the flow of electrical current when a switch is closed. In some cases, for charge transfer to occur, two distinct conductive networks can allow the anode and cathode to be electrically connected. A separator can be used to provide isolation of the anode and cathode such that only ions are able to pass through it, and to prevent short circuiting.
The manufacture of battery electrodes can be a complex and capital intensive process, and can commonly include material mixing, casting, calendering, drying, slitting, and working (bending, rolling, etc.) according to the battery architecture being built. Because the electrode is manipulated during assembly, and to ensure conductive networks are in place, all components are compressed into a cohesive assembly, for example, by use of a binding agent. However, binding agents themselves occupy space, can add processing complexity, and can impede ionic and electronic conductivity.
Thus, there is a need for improvements in electrochemical cells (e.g., batteries) and the manufacture of electrochemical cells, such as eliminating components of the electrochemical cell and/or providing reduced packaging for the electrochemical cell, while maintaining the same energy storage capabilities.